Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-02
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Early Appreciation 81 Hts
Importance by Great
Britain.
the Fraser River Excitement Of
1859 The Determination and
Establishment Of the
Province Of British
Columbia.

Ii foregoing issues he saost was
made 10 demonstrate that prior 70 1885
(tas date Of the frosty axiag The nor
shegn boundary Of orsRonD, the re-
sources and Importance Of the disputed
territory he'd been APPRECIATED By the
British Government, and that 10 such
fast might Be foaDd stimulus 70 Brit
lsh peftinasisy Of ciaim; that thFoaSh
the Influences Of the Hudson Bay Com.
pany Great Britain hsd been indnoed 70
held ths e0aatry; that, through the In
direct. net TO say inaiduous, efforts Of
that Company the belief had been en-
asndered that OFegoa Territory north
81 the Columbia river, and more espe-
eially what Il nov western Washing
ton, and VancouveF Island and adj
oans islands, the Fraser river basin and
the region north thereof vas 20 worth
less that further contention was angise
and useless. A decade later. whsa she
iiosnee Of exclusive trade vas dFauine
70 lie Gloss, when the days Of sole ooou-
pancy BY the Company bad become
numbered, and American States we're
growing int Importance; when Il bad
become appafeut thai control Of Paei8e
eommseos and wealth was 10 innuFe 10
AFaeYican cities established upon The
shores Of the Pacific, that the Company
Fosofted 20 this grand but spasmodie
edeFt 70 retain prestige and tntiaeDos
and 70 peFpetuaie British supremacy IN
Northwest America. Il vas nos With
any disposition 10 indulge IN vain regret
for what Great Britain had gained
By her sueeesaful Diplomacy, nor psnR Of
humiliation for What bad been sacrificed
and surrendered By she United States.
that this epoch and ias interesting In
cidents are chFonicled. History has
hesn tFuthfuiIy defioed as philosophy
teaching By example," 10 this notable
point % time We pause 20 recuF to the
past, from the lesson We inquiFe the
duty 70 the future. British territory
end domination keeps discovered our
continuity Of Pacific Cast Itne, posses
sione and boundary. But recently there
we're theoe claiming 10 DO considered as
American statesmen. Whos tRn0Eing
those lessons Of the past. would have
Fe-enacted The error Of 1886. Who did
eudeavoF 70 defeat the acquisition Of
Russian Americs upan the old and fal
laci0ua plea OF worthieaaneaa OF terri
riteTy, which had been successfully
urged 80 iussifyiug the surrender Of 90
much Of Oregon, the falsity Of which
vas 90 palpably made appsfeut By the
mere inception Of the Fraser river en-.
oitement. II the United States bad
au1naA Ataaha a. fQfR A~um-taas. alals,
20 Oregon as then asserted (good
oRainst the world as high ~ 81 degrees
north, and against England all the way
70 d, a0) can any one believe that any
American statesman would have dared
10 consent that the Pacific continuity
Of the American Northwest should be
discovered, howeoever worthless the
terTttogyf The homoReneity Of that
coast line would have been preserved at
any oost. History and posteFity would
have justified the necessary expenditure
OF blood and treasure 10 lie mainten.
Anoe. Surely no sane man would assert
that had the existence Of the wealth
aud importance Of British Columbia or
vancouver Island been as well uHder-
stood by the United States as BY the
British neRotta.oTs any part Of British
Columbia or vancouver Island would
have been reliuquished. Obedience 10
the unanimous instruction OF the Amer
loan people at the ballot box In 1874,
70 maintain 81 all hazards the "eleaF
and unqusstisnabls title 10 the
whole OF Oregon" would have prevented
To-Day our realization that a foreign
highway of travel crosses the North
American continent, stretching along
the whole extent Of our northern bound.
airy from ocean to ocean; European
power present whose existence as such
will only cease upon the establishment
within the region Of American Nation.
ality. The politician forfelss claim 90
esateamanship wh0 attempts 10 restrict
manifest destiny; who 30 narrow Ia the
conception OF the spirit Of passing
events assumes the role Of demAgogue
for temporary popularity. Resrenoh.
ment u always popular, but NAV not
prove economy or policy. He who
through . mistaken sense OF economy
oasta an obstacle In the way Of tho ex
elusive Amerioanixation OF the North
American continent when such a COZ.
summation can be peaceAbly effected,
though AZ seme expense, classes himself
With the enemies OF American destiny.
Ooncede that regions claimed bv EuFo-
pean Powers are valuelesa, then does the
reason for their abAndonment BY sach
RoweT9heeoEne more coQanf, for the mo-
sive for their retention can be meme
ether than simple desire 10 claim terri
tofiaI rights upon the American con
unent. With suoh motive alone, What
better IL sueh Power than the tabled
dog In the mAnRet"Y A nation 80 actin
ated is AZ best . lad neighbog aud de.
serves exclusion upon general principles.
The exoreien OF any EaFopean SOW
egeignty fFom North American affAira IL
81 itself valuable consideration n the
United States No territory apon this
continent is 80 worthless bnt ID pos
seeaea Inherent political value 20 the
National Union. The natural resources.
character Of soil. area. climate, Aeaeasi
btltty and aaaptahihty 20 settlement
anould each have due weight IN reeulst-
ing the price vhen purchases are soush,
20 be made. The Fraser river excite.
ment exploded the theory Of vi ldine
any Pogtion Of this continent 30 al
European sovereignty because of worth.
leeaneaa. II furnished protest against
such an arRument being Fesurted 10 90
cheek National expansion and progress.
That plea has always proven error
When Mr.. Jefferson. bv the purchase Of
Louisiana, led the way for the American
Empire 90 ercsa the Mississippi River
on its westward march 10 the Pacific
Ooeau, even though he bad secured
thereby the priceless boon % the exelu.
stve inland navigation, how nnspaFins-
II vas be derided. Yet the Louisiana
purchase became recognized a. the
wtsest and most hanincsnt aes ever con
anmated By The Government. Cahfas-
nia Vas equally damnihed a. worthless.
and vet Der brief and brilliant career Of
wealth and grandeur has already Placed
Der In tie forVfroui OF Americas States,
Vancouver Island, the scot and sheer
Of the illastyians Beaten. painss With
pride 10 Der Niciaria. her y quinaalt
Der Nanaimo. TIE rich geld fields OF
oariooo and CassiaF, the vast andevel.
oped rcglena ~ coal and GOLD and Ell.
YER, the tracts % agricultural lands. the
exhaussless timber resources OF British
Columbia are eli 80 many evidences o.
lhe aosnrdisv % such = preae1t.
The hrss grand sheei 81 the Fraser
river excitement prociAtnas that during
lta short lived eouiinaance. had tee
United States bern owner % the paFts
81 Esqaiualt ard Victoria. the advan
iAee 81 position alone voald have -
cured 10 the United StAtos, o. At least
have eontrOlled for an American eenteF
Of trade. the entire heaeets uhsch hAvs